Planning staff provided an update on the preliminary development plan for Silver Hills, a proposed multifamily project at 5430 West Erie Avenue, during the July 2, 2025 meeting of the City of Lorain Zoning Board of Appeals.

Staff explained the developer revised the project several times to improve HUD funding competitiveness and to comply with requirements. Revisions described in the packet include changes to building layout and setbacks, parking stall counts and the maximum building height (the developer has reduced the height variance requested though the building still exceeds some requirements). The developer also removed a proposed commercial frontage and added additional housing units; staff said the applicant has requested variances for parking and unit square footage in earlier submissions and that some variances have already been granted.

A member of the public, Dave Smith of 5520 West Erie Avenue, asked where dumpsters would be located and whether stormwater would be discharged to the existing ditch and through a culvert under the railroad to Lake Erie. Kate Holden of the City engineering department said the original plans showed a detention basin and that the intended discharge path was to the ditch and the culvert under the rail line; she said she has not yet seen the revised plans and that the engineering department will thoroughly vet the final stormwater design to ensure it does not cause undue hardship to adjacent properties. Director of Building, Housing and Planning Matt Klushner said final development plan review and any redevelopment agreement will address conditions such as lighting, landscaping/barriers, dumpster placement and stormwater detention; he emphasized the project will be reviewed multiple times and that adjacent property owners will be notified of subsequent hearings.

Staff said the application will be forwarded to City Council for review and that Planning Commission and city review of the final development plan will follow; staff offered to provide the current plans on file to interested residents but warned that the plans are being revised and may change before Council consideration. No formal action was taken by the Zoning Board of Appeals on the Silver Hills preliminary development plan at this meeting; staff described the item as an informational update to keep board members aware of upcoming changes before the matter reaches City Council.